Smith on song ahead of Indoor Worlds

Bermuda's Tyrone Smith lands in the sand while competing in the men's long jump final during the track and field competition of the Central American & Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in 2010. Smith won the gold medal. Smith is having a good 2012 indoor season and hopes to qualify for the World Indoor Championships in March. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

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Tyrone Smith believes he is on track to make the World Indoor Championship finals in March if his encouraging start to the season is anything to go by.

The long jumper, who aims to use the Indoor season as a springboard for the London Olympic Games, claimed gold at the Leonard Hilton Invitational at the University of Houston with a jump of 7.66 metres two weeks ago.

The Male Athlete of the Year followed up that performance with a fourth-place finish at a meet in Bordeaux, France, with a leap of 7.81m.

Having recently trained with his coach in Missouri, Smith is buoyed with his two performances as he prepares for meets in Finland.

This year I have decided to do a full indoor season with a build up to World Indoor Championships in March Istanbul, Turkey, said Smith. I want to use this as a spring board to the London games and because Ive decided to do this there is a lot more activity for me now.

A week ago I went to Joplin, Missouri to train with my coach and compete in a meet that I use to compete in during my college years, which proved to be a good training camp and set me up well to come over to Europe.

This past weekend I had my first meet on the circuit in France, finishing fourth but just missed winning by six centimetres and third by one centimetre.

It was an indoor personal best for me so it was a good first pro meet.

Next I will compete in a series of meets in Finland and will complete my series with a meet in Estonia where Im based before returning home.

With high level competitions under my belt Im looking to make the final at the World Championships and see where I am physically as we go into the Olympic Games.

Fellow long jumper Arantxa King who proved her injury woes are firmly behind her after coming first at the Razorback Invitational in Arkansas last week.

The Stanford University student, who missed the majority of last season due to a knee injury, won her event with a leap of 6.42m.

Jasmine Brunson competing in the Clemson invitational placed second in the long jump with a leap of 6.05 metres.

Sisters Taylor Ashley Bean and Alexis Bean both had encouraging weekends as well, with Taylor finishing fourth in the 800m in a time of two minutes, 19.46 seconds, and Alexis winning the St Johns invitational in a time of two minutes 20.92 seconds.

Chayce Smith, competing in the same meet, came 20th overall in the mile race four minutes, 13.79 seconds.

On the local front, several athletes reached the Carifta qualifying standard.